


Blood and Stone

by meridian_rose (meridianrose)



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Season/Series 01, Road Trip, Trope Bingo Round 8, admitting feelings, background Nicole/Waverly, background Waverly&Doc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-30
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-11-06 20:25:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11043687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meridianrose/pseuds/meridian_rose
Summary: When Doc's immortality seems to be failing, Wynonna will go to any lengths to save him.





	Blood and Stone

Wynonna woke alone; not an uncommon experience but last night Doc had been next to her, spooning her despite her mock protests at the post-coital intimacy. She noted his hat, still on the dresser, which meant he was still in the house. The thought warmed her in a way she still found surprising.

She yawned and slid from beneath the covers, pulling on clothing almost randomly, before she left the bedroom.

She heard Doc before she found him the kitchen. He was leaning over the sink, coughing. She poured a coffee, eyeing him with concern.

"Are you okay? I know you're immortal now but all that smoking probably still irritates your lungs. Maybe you should take up vaping."

Nicole, effortlessly elegant in a beautiful ivory silk pyjama set joined them. "Please tell me there's coffee."

Wynonna gestured. Nicole moved to pour herself a mug and then nudged Wynonna, mouthing, "Is he all right?"

Wynonna shrugged. "Doc?" She put down her coffee and moved to put a hand on his shoulder.

Doc was, literally, old-school. So it didn't surprise her when he pulled a cloth handkerchief from his pocket.

It did surprise and horrify her when he pressed it to his lips and it came away bloody.

"Oh God." Wynonna felt the ground shift beneath her feet. He was immortal. He'd paid for that immortality with a century down a well and the loss of his dearest friend. He wasn't supposed to get sick.

Doc managed to stop coughing and straighten up. "Well," he said at last, more sad than afraid. "This is a predicament."

"A predicament? You're coughing up blood!" Wynonna paced the kitchen, a difficult task given it was half-full of furniture and already getting crowded. To add to the crowd Waverly, bleary eyed, stumbled into the kitchen.

"Who's coughing up blood?" She was wearing a red camisole top and matching shorts, hair loose about her shoulders. "What's going on?"

Nicole took a long swallow of coffee. "I thought he couldn't get sick," she said.

"No shit," Wynonna snapped, her fear displaying itself as anger.

Waverly wandered over to Doc, saw the evidence for herself. "Oh no."

"It would seem my time is running out."

"Don't say that!" Wynonna felt the urge to draw Peacemaker, though there was nothing here to shoot. She stamped down the rage, sought for self-control.

Waverly slipped one arm around Doc. "We'll fix this," she said.

Wynonna stared at them. Why hadn't she done that? Why had her first instinct been to move away from him than to comfort him? What was wrong with her?

So many things. But this was not the time for dwelling on them. Wynonna gave herself a mental shake.

"Of course we'll fix this," she said with certainty she didn't feel.

"How?" Doc asked.

Nicole raised her free hand. "Can someone explain to me how Doc is immortal in the first place?"

It was a good question. Doc told his tale and Nicole listened intently and Wynonna tried to look for clues in the story just as Waverly was surely doing. The story ended with him and Wynonna burying Constance in salt.

"If your immorality is fading," Nicole said, "for want of a better word, does that mean the Stone Witch lied to you?"

"Or maybe her powers are fading since you stuck in her the salt," Waverly theorised. "You're linked still, that's why you couldn't kill her. It's worth investaging."

Wynonna nodded. "Okay. Road trip. We're off to see the Stone Witch. The nastiest witch there was."

*

"I'm sure this is where I left her," Wynonna said, scanning the horizon. Endless salt plains surrounded them. There were no landmarks, no truck stops, no helpful signs such as "1 mile to the Stone Witch".

Nicole exchanged a glance with Waverly but said nothing. Doc, looking pale, was leaning back in the passenger seat. He glanced over at Wynonna. "Didn't you make a note of the GPF?"

"GPS? No. And yes I should have but I was trying lose her out here," Wynonna said. "I didn't think I'd have to find her again!"

"Where was the sun?" Waverly asked. "If you remember what time it was and where the sun was we can work out which direction you were heading in."

Wynonna made a noise of disgust. "That sounds like a math problem and you know how I feel about math. Also you expect me to remember something like that?"

"I'm trying to help!"

Wynonna nodded, blinking hard. Her tone was more subdued when she spoke again. "We've been driving for longer than when we buried her out here. I can't understand where she's gone. What if she's escaped somehow? Or someone rescued her?"

"Wouldn't she have come after you?" Nicole asked.

Wynonna shrugged. "Maybe she is, and this is how," she said, indicating Doc.

Doc began coughing again, handkerchief pressed to his mouth. Wynonna shot him a worried glance and pulled up. They could probably all do with a short break and some air.

Waverly and Nicole stretched their legs, giving Wynonna and Doc some space. Wynonna leaned against the vehicle and watched, helpless, as Doc bent over, choking and wheezing. What if they couldn't fix this?

Doc wiped off his lips and took a few deep breaths. "I thought this was behind me."

"I know."

He shook his head. "I do not want to go through this again. I can already feel my strength ebbing. My lungs are weakened. I would rather go out quickly than suffer this indignity."

Had he put himself in danger deliberately when he'd rode at Wyatt's side, hoping a bullet might end his agony? Wynonna had never considered such a thing and this was not the time to discuss it.

"I'm not going to let you die," she said and he gave her a sad smile.

*

They drove around for a while longer but at last struck out for home. It was sheer luck they came upon an isolated cabin with smoke billowing from the chimney and decided to check it out.

Wynonna went first, Peacemaker in hand, Nicole backing her up with her service weapon drawn. Wynonna flung the door open.

The Stone Witch, Constance Clootie, was sitting by the fire, shivering. She raised dull eyes to Wynonna. Her hands lay in her lap, shrivelled and clawed.

"Isn't this a surprising reunion. Would you close the door?" she croaked. "I feel the cold these days."

When Waverly and Doc had joined them, they did close the door and gathered around to question her.

"How did you get out?" Wynonna wanted to know.

"That is my secret to keep." She lifted one hand. "You see what you have done to me? The salt leeching my power and my vitality day after day."

"You deserved it," Wynonna retorted.

"As do you."

Wynonna blinked, confused. "What?"

"My magic is all but depleted and I don't know how long it will take to return, nor if it ever will fully recover," Constance said. "But I can withdraw magic I have already cast. I suppose you're here because Doc Holliday is not doing so well."

She laughed. Doc took a step toward her but Waverly put a restraining hand on his arm.

"Have you not punished me enough?" he demanded. "Was not a century in the dark vengeance enough?"

Constance shook her head wearily. "This is not about you John Henry and never has been. This is about Wynonna. I want her to suffer for all she's done to me. For her to watch you die painfully. Just as I wanted to watch Wyatt suffer knowing you had betrayed and abandoned him."

"You are a sick individual," Wynonna said.

"Not as sick as he is." Constance smirked.

Wynonna looked at Doc, then back at Constance. She pointed Peacemaker at Constance's heart.

Constance's eyes widened. "If you kill me, he dies too."

"Seems to me he's going to die anyway," Wynonna said, voice trembling. "At least this way he won't suffer."

Waverly dug her fingers into Doc's arm. Nicole's mouth fell open but she gathered herself and moved to stand by Waverly and offer what comfort her presence could provide.

Constance turning pleading eyes to Doc who shook his head.

"She's right," he said roughly. "Better us both dead."

Wynonna cocked her gun.

"Wait!" Constance leaned forward, wincing as she did so. "I can fix this."

Wynonna lifted an eyebrow. "I'm listening."

Constance claimed she could restore the deal she'd made with Doc but she needed her red beryl necklace. It was in a safe deposit box at the bank. The key was in a hidden pocket of the coat they'd buried her in.

Nicole found the key and offered to go with Waverly to the bank while Wynonna and Doc stayed to keep an eye on Constance. This seemed a reasonable plan so Wynonna watched them go and prowled the house looking for liquor. She didn't find any.

Doc removed his coat and his hat, his breathing laboured. He began coughing again and ended up on his knees, retching, Wynonna crouched next to him. She rubbed at his back, more in hopes of giving him comfort in her presence than it being any help. After several long minutes he managed to stop coughing and sat down on the floor, leaning against an ancient armchair, eyes watering, skin pale and clammy.

Wynonna didn't trust the sink in the back of the cabin but she found a bottle of mineral water and pressed it into his hand. He took a few long swallows and managed a wry smile. She stroked damp strands of hair back from his forehead, knowing Constance was watching and enjoying the show, but unable to refrain from showing him some tenderness.

"I would give you a pep talk but I'm all out of pep," she told him.

"It's all right, Wynonna. I've lived longer than I expected. I've helped you a little and that should soothe Wyatt some, wherever he is. I probably don’t deserve heaven but after the well I can handle whatever hell has in store."

"Don’t say that."

He shook his head. "All I wanted when I escaped was my vengeance on the witch. I got more than that. I got to spend time with you and Waverly and to see this marvellous future you live in. If it turns out the witch is lying then let me kill her and die too, and I'll be at peace."

Wynonna blinked away tears, nodded. She leaned over and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

Finally Nicole and Waverly returned. Waverly dangled the necklace in front of Constance then snatched it away.

"How does this help?" Waverly asked.

"I need it to return my powers to their full strength," Constance said. "I will then restore Doc Holliday's immortality and afterwards you will let me go. That is the deal. Take it or leave it."

Doc shook his head. "She's dangerous, Wynonna. Do not return her magic."

"Sorry, but I have to," Wynonna said. _I can't lose you._ "Give her the necklace, Waverly. But one wrong move, Constance and I'll shoot you somewhere not immediately fatal and we'll renegotiate while you and Doc are both bleeding."

"Wynonna -"

"This is not up for discussion," she told him. "I'm an Earp, remember, and we're stubborn."

"That you are," he allowed.

Constance took the necklace and slipped it on. She leaned back in her chair, eyes closed. She seemed to glow, hands unclenching, skin becoming soft and unlined. She let out a deep sigh of satisfaction.

Wynonna aimed Peacemaker at her once more. "Make with the magic," she ordered.

Constance bent down in front of the fireplace and chanted, waving her hands over and through the flames. The fire took on a green glow. Constance knelt to one side of the fireplace and gestured. "Give him to me."

"Let me," Nicole said, which meant Wynonna could keep her gun trained on Constance while Nicole and Waverly helped Doc to his feet and take the few, painful, steps over to Constance.

Wynonna swallowed back fear and revulsion as Doc lay in Constance's lap. The witch placed one hand on his chest, the other on the top of his head. Constance began chanting again. The flames danced higher. The air in the cabin became heavy.

Just as Wynonna was getting dizzy and about to interrupt the ritual, thinking Constance was trying to put a spell on them all, Constance threw back her head and gave a piercing scream.

The fire went out. Everything was still and silent save for Constance's ragged breathing.

"It is done," she said, dumping Doc's limp body onto the floor and getting to her feet.

Wynonna hurried over, pressed her fingers to his neck. To her relief she found a pulse.

"He's merely unconscious," Constance said. "And immortal once more. And now I shall be going."

Nicole, now guarding the door, looked to Wynonna who gave a reluctant nod.

"If I ever see you again Constance, things will go down differently," Wynonna swore.

Constance rolled her eyes. Nicole moved aside and Constance left the cabin with a cheery wave.

Waverly had joined Wynonna on the floor at Doc's side. "Do you think she's telling the truth?"

"If she's not I'll hunt her down," Wynonna said. She took Doc's hand. "Hey. Come on. Enough sleeping. Doc? Please."

He stirred. "Wynonna?"

Wynonna gave a sigh of relief. "It's done. How do you feel?"

He sat up slowly, took a moment to orientate himself. "Better."

"Good."

"I'd probably feel fully restored by a whisky or three."

Wynonna laughed. "I think we could all benefit from that. Let's get out of here."

Still, she couldn't help but wonder if she'd made a deal with the devil, much as Doc had all those years ago. He clearly thought the same but neither of them were going to talk about it right now. Wouldn't talk about their feelings, either. How he'd been so willing to die. Why she'd been so insistent on saving his life. About her grief at the thought of losing him despite her refusal to acknowledge how deeply she cared for him. Because talking about those things would make them real.

*

That night however Wynonna woke from a nightmare in which they'd not found Constance. Doc had died in her arms on the salt flats and Wynonna had keened her grief.

She sat up and switched on the lamp, reassured by the light, and nudged Doc who was slumbering next to her.

"Hey."

He half-opened his eyes. "Wynonna? Are we under attack?"

"No."

"Oh." He closed his eyes again.

She nudged him again. "Don't go back to sleep! I need to tell you something."

"I am awake." He sat up. "What it is?"

She took a deep breath. "I love you."

He stared at her for a long moment. "You do know I'm not dying?"

She thumped him in the shoulder. "I know. But earlier you were and it scared me, okay? That I've never said it. That I was so afraid to say it."

"Now you have. Are you certain you mean it?"

Wynonna hesitated only a second. "Yes."

He leaned over and kissed her. "I love you too Wynonna. But if you'll allow an elderly gentleman to get some sleep it would be appreciated. It's been a rather long day."

She kissed him once more. "Hold me?"

He gladly spooned her and she fell back to sleep almost immediately.

There were no more dreams that night and in the morning the world felt a little brighter.

**Author's Note:**

> For the trope bingo prompt "road trip"  
> [tumblr promo post](http://meridianrose.tumblr.com/post/161239130981/blood-and-stone-2599-words-by-meridianrose)


End file.
